(WASHINGTON, D.C., 10/28/05) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on all people of conscience to contact their elected representatives and urge them to oppose Vice President Cheney’s proposal to exempt CIA employees from a proposed congressional ban on torture of prisoners in U.S. custody.

Recently, the Senate overwhelmingly endorsed the proposed law, an amendment to a $440 billion defense appropriations bill. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), a former prisoner of war and a torture survivor, sponsored the amendment.

Vice President Cheney and CIA Director Porter Goss both proposed exempting the CIA from the torture ban. Senator McCain rejected the idea.

According to the Washington Post:

“The CIA has been implicated in a number of alleged abuses in Iraq and has been linked to at least a few cases in which detainees have died during interrogations at separate military bases throughout the country. So far, no CIA operatives have been charged in connection with the abuse, although a single CIA contract employee is on trial for involvement in the death of an Afghanistan detainee, and sources have indicated that a grand jury may be looking at other allegations involving the CIA.”

President Bush says he will veto the appropriations bill if it comes to him with McCain’s torture ban. That would result in the president’s first veto being used to defend the torture of prisoners during interrogation.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUESTED:

1) Contact your Representative in the U.S. Congress and ask them send the McCain anti-torture amendment to President Bush as it is written.